default

[ dih-fawlt, dee-fawlt ]

noun

1. failure to act; inaction or neglect:

   They lost their best client by sheer default.

2. Finance. failure to meet financial obligations, as when a borrower misses or stops making monthly loan payments:

   A default on your mortgage can lead to losing the house.

3. Law. failure to perform an act or obligation legally required, especially to appear in court or to plead at a time assigned:

   The judge dismissed the suit for default of the defendant.

4. Sports. failure to arrive in time for, participate in, or complete a scheduled game, race, etc.:

   So far the Cougars have had three losses, two wins, and one default.

5. a person’s automatic or standard way of acting or responding; go-to or reflex:

   Her default is to argue about everything I say, unless she’s in a really good mood.

6. lack; want; absence:

   For default of anything better, he took a job washing dishes.

7. Computers. a value that a program or operating system assumes, or a course of action that a program or operating system will take, when the user or programmer specifies no overriding value or action.

adjective

1. being a person’s automatic or standard action, response, etc.; go-to:

   Chocolate is my default choice for ice cream, but when I feel adventurous I’ll go for something more exotic.

2. Computers. (of a value, action, etc.) preset or preselected, unless the user or programmer gives other input or instruction:

   The default contrast setting on this display is 50 percent.

verb (used without object)

1. to fail to meet financial obligations, such as payments on a loan, or to account properly for money in one's care:

   After he defaulted twice, the bank foreclosed on the car.

2. to fail in fulfilling or satisfying an engagement, claim, or obligation:

   They said they would pick me up, but defaulted at the last minute.

3. Law. to fail to appear in court:

   One of the key witnesses defaulted.

4. Sports.
   1. to fail to participate in or complete a scheduled game, race, etc.:

      I only placed in that race because my chief rival defaulted.

   2. to lose a scheduled game, race, etc., by default.
5. to behave or respond in a certain way automatically, habitually, or by preference (usually followed by to ):

   It seems that in your relationships you default to being a caregiver instead of a partner.

6. Computers. (of a program or operating system) to assume a preset value or take a preselected action unless otherwise instructed by the user or programmer (usually followed by to ):

   Your profile defaults to public unless you set the permissions to private.

verb (used with object)

1. to fail to perform or pay:

   to default a debt.

2. to declare to be in default, especially legally:

   The judge defaulted the defendant.

3. Law. to lose by failure to appear in court.
4. Sports.
   1. to fail to compete in (a scheduled game, race, etc.).
   2. to lose by default.

default

/ dɪˈfɔːlt /

noun

1. a failure to act, esp a failure to meet a financial obligation or to appear in a court of law at a time specified
2. absence or lack
3. by default
   in the absence of opposition or a better alternative

   he became prime minister by default

4. in default of
   through or in the lack or absence of
5. judgment by default
   law a judgment in the plaintiff's favour when the defendant fails to plead or to appear
6. lack, want, or need
7. alsoˈdiːfɔːlt computing
   1. the preset selection of an option offered by a system, which will always be followed except when explicitly altered
   2. ( as modifier )

      default setting

verb

1. intr; often foll by on or in to fail to make payment when due
2. intr to fail to fulfil or perform an obligation, engagement, etc

   to default in a sporting contest

3. law to lose (a case) by failure to appear in court
4. tr to declare that (someone) is in default

default

1. Failure to pay a debt when it is due.

Other Words From

• non·de·fault·ing adjective noun
• pre·de·fault noun verb
• un·de·fault·ed adjective
• un·de·fault·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of default¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English defau(l)te, from Anglo-French defalte, Old French defaute, from defaillir, modeled on faute, faillir; equivalent to de- + fault

Word History and Origins

Origin of default¹

C13: from Old French defaute, from defaillir to fail, from Vulgar Latin dēfallīre (unattested) to be lacking

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in default of, for lack or want of; in the absence of:

   In default of male heirs, his daughters inherited his property.

More idioms and phrases containing default

see in default of .

Example Sentences

“You realize he didn’t speak out loud during that day. Human beings are meant to be convivial and social — the default setting for a lot of us is that we need other people around. Ted’s character Charles is a guy who’s still perfectly vibrant, very sharp, alive in the world, but his life has just gotten very small. And the question is — for him and for the audience — can he go through something that makes him see the value in living a bigger life?”

From Los Angeles Times

When you’re 49, the default setting is ‘No.’

From Los Angeles Times

Rumors of Freevee’s demise spread after the company made the new ad tier the default for Prime Video users, but Amazon denied the speculation early this year.

From Los Angeles Times

Unmarried partners aren’t necessarily the default, so if you want them to be, naming them here is crucial.

From Salon

She captured the nomination by default — without ever having won a single vote in a caucus or primary.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• delinquency
• nonpayment